American still don't know who Roger Federer is?

[Vlad]

There is a poll on ESPN website, "Who will win Wimbledon" Roddick got something like 60% and Federer got like 30%. It is out of 1800 people. what do you think, Americans being patriotic or simply don't know Federer that well?

[Feña14]

Well I can only say that England probably only know Federer as he won the only tournament that the public watch.

The non tennis loving American public probably don't know Federer as well as their beloved Andy. If they did Federer would own the pole.

Federer has it in the bag, imo the only person to stop him was Henman as he had crowed support and the great record.

It's Fed's.

-Liam

[a verrry large duck]

I highly doubt the non playing tennis public in united states, say 1 out of 10 would know federer. I would guess maybe 6 or 7 out of 10 would know roddick. In the tennis world, it would probably be 9.7 out of 10. and on this messageboard there's actually two roddicks, one roddick that 5/10 knows and rod-dick which the other 5/10 would know

[tetsuo10]

People in the US know Roddick because of SNL and his former relationship with Mandy Moore. I say Roger needs to hook up with some celebrity.

[Kevin Patrick]

Before the French this year USA Today had a nice article about Federer & a picture. Unfortunately the picture was of Coria(but the caption said it was Fed)
In the US, outside of tennis fans, I'd be shocked if more than 1 out of 10 know who Hewitt, Safin, Moya,Fed, or Ferrero is.
And people only know Roddick beacuse he dated Mandy Moore.

[Datacipher]

Originally Posted by a verrry large duck

I highly doubt the non playing tennis public in united states, say 1 out of 10 would know federer. I would guess maybe 6 or 7 out of 10 would know roddick. In the tennis world, it would probably be 9.7 out of 10. and on this messageboard there's actually two roddicks, one roddick that 5/10 knows and rod-dick which the other 5/10 would know

I think your numbers are too high Duck. Think about it....I have run into a lot of people who don't know Agassi! Let alone Sampras...

I'd say in North America 1 out of 30 might know Roddick. 1 out of 50 might know Federer.

Your numbers might be closer for the general sports fan who watches sports news and might watch tennis a couple times a year...even then they might recognize the name, but wouldn't recognize the face....

[Datacipher]

Originally Posted by Kevin Patrick

In the US, outside of tennis fans, I'd be shocked if more than 1 out of 10 know who Hewitt, Safin, Moya,Fed, or Ferrero is.
And people only know Roddick beacuse he dated Mandy Moore.

Just what I was thinking Kevin. Sad but true.

[bigserving]

It does seem like an issue to the game of tennis given the rare talent that we tennis fans recognize Federer to be. I think that this issue goes hand in hand with the reason behind the matches that we see broadcast on TV.

All that being said, does anyone have an opinion about how to rectify the "problem," or is it a problem at all?

[dennis1188]

Sounds like 'Florida style' ballot logic .
If u count it, it will come true. ..Not!

[a verrry large duck]

bigserving:
It does seem like an issue to the game of tennis given the rare talent that we tennis fans recognize Federer to be. I think that this issue goes hand in hand with the reason behind the matches that we see broadcast on TV.
All that being said, does anyone have an opinion about how to rectify the "problem," or is it a problem at all?

Well for that question, I think there's something else more fundamental, as in do the powerful traditional portions of tennis playing members WANT more members. I mean I've walked into a country club with a friend that doesn't "look" acceptable and they get the icy reception if you know what I mean. When you think tennis, for your non-playing potential tennis player, they have a certain exclusive aura around it, and it's not all lights and smoke. For tennis to become more well known you've got to get more run of the mill people playing it.

[bigserving]

Originally Posted by a verrry large duck

For tennis to become more well known you've got to get more run of the mill people playing it.

It does seem to me that the tennis establishment has been very slow to warm to idea that this is the X-games, Hip-Hop, generation.

[Vlad]

I just don't think that the broadcasters of tennis pay enough attention to the best players in the world. In America, the sports have association with being on the national level only. Look at baseball, football, nascars, indy, hockey (even though most of the players are Canadians and Europeans). Look at Europe's top sports: Soccer (very international sport), Formula 1 (with drivers all over the world) and tennis. In US there seems to be no interest in international competition. Not many people really care.
Also, ESPN shows American players as superstars while I haven't seen them call Federer a superstar. The show his matches very casually. Roddick is portrayed in a completely different view.

[pound cat]

Unfortunately the only people who are interested in a rare talent in tennis are those who already recognize & care about talent in tennis & the general public isn't interested in rare talent of any kind. And I would even bet that a quicki survey of any sociial tennis club anywhere would show that surprisingly few players could name 3 of the top ten players and could recognize only Roddick or Agassi in the top 50. with this in mind, it's no wonder they show Roddick and the Williams over and over again as it's easier to watch who you already know, let along have to deal with all those foreign people with strange names. And Rog is not the best looking guy, and in an age of good looks and nonsense, Roger is too serious and dull looking to be marketable.

[bigserving]

Good point Cat. Who's responsibility is it however, to market the game and its players? Lots of people on this board seem to want to blame the broadcast companies for not showing the matches that they want to see.

I don't think that the broadcasters are the ones responsible for making the game and it's players popular.

Many other sports are growing and doing well. Baseball, NFL, PGA, NBA, NASCAR are all doing well. This year, over 1.5 million LeBron James jerseys were sold. Eighteen months ago, no one had even heard of the guy. He is not even recognized as the best player in the NBA.

In tennis, our best player is almost completely unknown to the general public. Is this an issue with the ATP, USTA, ITF, WTA or is it someone else's responsibility?

[a verrry large duck]

pound cat:
And Rog is not the best looking guy, and in an age of good looks and nonsense, Roger is too serious and dull looking to be marketable.

Really?? I kind of think he's a good looking guy isn't he? I mean he even looks smooth on the tennis court, kind of like a james bond except on a tennis court.

[dozu]

when I came to America 12 years ago, I was shocked by Americans' short-sightedness in such a open society. Nothing but slum murders and fires in the evening news, the general public knows very little about what's going on in the world. and play off winners call themselves "world champions".

For the public's lack of interest in ATP, a product 100x more better than the WTA, I don't know what the answer is. It's not the TV's fault, they have to make a buck. It's not the audience fault..... I think the ATP needs a better management to promote the product better. This years US open series will be a good start.

Sometimes the natural beauty of the sport will take over the public. e.g. soccer gaining popularity, while baseball is dying. Because soccer is natural, just look at how much fun toddlers are having on the soccer field. Baseball is unatural, look how bored the toddlers are on the baseball field.

Going off topic a little bit... but the bottom line is, after a while people become numb, and after all, this is the greatest country in the world, so why do you need to worry about the rest of the world after all.

[The Franchise]

Baseball is dying? What the hell are you talking about dude? If anything, it's making a huge comeback from the '94 strike. Don't even get me started on this game.

[The Franchise]

Awwww man, you just got me started. Baseball is un-natural? WTF? I like both soccer and baseball, but to say that one is more natural than the other? Once again, WTF? Each sport has its own flow and rhythm my friend. And I see toddlers sleeping at both soccer and baseball games. Okay, I need to stop and step outside for a breath of fresh air before I go postal on this topic.

[JohnThomas1]

The one thing here is that Federer has not yet won. Maybe the odds are against it, but we must consider that these 60% of people may end up right.

[Aonex]

Maybe a win at Flushing Meadows this year might give him a little more exposure to the American public.